A crucial component of a community’s overall development is its anti-criminality program. Its effectiveness fosters a sense of safety and security within communities. However, as many countries still face challenges with their economic and national growth, establishing peace and order remains quite challenging. Hence, this study explored the lived experiences of city police chiefs in Leyte Island, focusing on their experiences, strategies, and aspirations. Using a transcendental phenomenological design, ten city police chiefs with at least two years of experience were purposively selected and interviewed using a semi-structured interview questionnaire. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s framework. Findings revealed that collaboration among stakeholders and the promotion of transparency and accountability were critical to the program success. However, challenges such as limited resources and administrative indifference hindered effective implementation. In response, the informants employed innovative strategies and capacity-building initiatives to empower stakeholders. The participants also expressed aspirations for a technology-driven policing and sustained community support. The study recommends improved resource allocation, enhanced workforce distribution, strengthened accountability mechanisms, and expanded community engagement. These findings contribute to the development of context-sensitive anti-criminality programs and provide insights for policymakers and law enforcement practitioners.

Keywords: anti-criminality programs, Chiefs of Police, police leadership, community policing, transparency and accountability, stakeholder collaboration, transcendental phenomenological design